2025 civics test · Question 35 · System of Government

Some states have more representatives than other states. Why?

Any one of these answers is accepted

  • (Because of) the state's population
  • (Because) they have more people
  • (Because) some states have more people

What this means

Some states have more representatives than others because of their population.

Seats in the House of Representatives are divided among the states by how many people live there. States with more people get more representatives, while states with fewer people get fewer. California, the most populous state, has the most seats, and several small states have just one.

The count is updated every ten years after the national census. The Senate works differently, giving every state two seats no matter its size.

The answer is simply “because of the state’s population,” or “because some states have more people.”

Why this is on the test

This question explains why the House is set up so differently from the Senate, and both tests ask it in nearly the same words.

How this question is asked

On the 2025 civics test, the officer asks up to 20 of the 128 questions out loud and you pass by answering 12 correctly. You answer in your own words. There is no multiple choice and nothing to write down for the civics portion.

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